UK court delays WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange's extradition to US

In a partial victory for the WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange, the High Court in London on Tuesday ruled against his immediate extradition to the United States on charges of espionage.

The two High Court judges said they would delay Assange’s extradition and would grant him a new appeal unless US authorities give further assurances in the next 3 weeks about what will happen to him if he returns to the US.

Legal saga to continue

Judges Victoria Sharp and Jeremy Johnson said they will permit Assange to appeal extradition on grounds, including breach of freedom of expression if no assurances are filed by the US, and because he might receive the death penalty.

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If assurances are given then there will be a further hearing on 20 May, 2024 to decide if they are satisfactory, and to make a final decision on leave to appeal, the high court’s judgment said.

The court has given US Gov 3 weeks to give satisfactory assurances: That Mr. Assange is permitted to rely on the First Amendment to the US constitution; not prejudiced at trial by reason of his nationality; and that the death penalty is not imposed #FreeAssange pic.twitter.com/Wt2VaiPUUg

— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) March 26, 2024

The London High Court has sought assurances under the First Amendment of the US Constitution which will ensure that Assange will not be prejudiced at trial by reason of his nationality and that a death sentence is not imposed on him.

Assange’s action went beyond journalism, argued US

US prosecutors are seeking to put Assange, 52, on trial on 18 counts over the high-profile release of classified US military information and diplomatic cables through WikiLeaks over the years. The US government said Assange’s actions “went beyond journalism” in a February hearing.

Earlier, Assange’s lawyer Edward Fitzgerald said his prosecution was “politically motivated” and American authorities were seeking to punish him for WikiLeaks’ “exposure of criminality on the part of the US government on an unprecedented scale,” including torture and killings.

Assange’s supporters have argued he is a journalist who exposed US military wrongdoing in Iraq and Afghanistan that was in the public interest. They have argued his prosecution can’t get a fair trial in the US.